23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority
8-18 August 2017 | Headquarters of the International Seabed Authority, Kingston, Jamaica
Summary Highlights of the Meeting
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ISA regional coordinators in informal consultations |
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On Friday, 18 August, the Assembly met throughout the day to consider a revised draft decision on the first periodic review of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Following consultations with capitals, delegates supported a revised schedule of meetings of the ISA organs and subsidiary bodies. Regional consultations were then held throughout the day on a reference to a joint proposal by the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) and the African Group on future elections of the members of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC). Eventually, delegates agreed to “taking into account that the Council will finally consider” the joint proposal prior to the next LTC election, and adopted the decision on the first periodic review. Review Committee Chair Helmut Tuerk (Austria) stated that the decision faithfully reflects the Review Committee’s recommendations and is “a great step forward in ISA’s history.” |
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IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon | ||
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Jean-Michel Despax, France
Sheila Sealy Monteith, Jamaica
Ariel Fernández, Argentina
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Maruthadu Sudhakar, India
Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan
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Delegates from the Asia-Pacific Group consulting
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Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President, gaveled the meeting to a close at 3:50 pm
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Highlights for Thursday, 17 August 2017
On Thursday, 17 August, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) considered a draft decision on the final report of the first periodic review of the ISA, and a further revised meeting schedule; adopted decisions on financial and budgetary matters and on revised staff regulations; and discussed other matters, such as the election of Morocco to the Council and the proposal to create a museum at the ISA. |
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+ Visit the web coverage for Thursday, 17 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Wednesday, 16 August 2017
On Wednesday, 16 August, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority met throughout the day to hear further statements on the Secretary-General’s annual report, and consider the final report of the first periodic review of the ISA, focusing on: a revised meeting schedule, a strategic plan for the ISA, environmental issues, and data management. |
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+ Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 16 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Tuesday, 15 August 2017
On Tuesday, 15 August, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) addressed outstanding administrative matters and considered the annual report of the ISA Secretary General, focusing on: the draft exploitation regulations, cooperation of the ISA with other international bodies, financial issues, capacity building, legal and administrative matters, and transparency. |
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+ Visit the web coverage for Tuesday, 15 August 2017 |
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Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh
Kenneth Wong, Canada
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Qingbao Niu, China
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Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco
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Delegates from SingaporeHighlights for Monday, 14 August 2017
On Monday, 14 August, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) exchanged preliminary views on the draft exploitation regulations that had been submitted by the Secretariat to the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC), and considered draft decisions on: the summary report of the LTC Chair, including a submission from the Netherlands on a tentative approval process of environmentally responsible mining technologies; and future elections of LTC members. |
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+ Visit the web coverage for Monday, 14 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Friday, 11 August 2017
On Friday, 11 August, in the morning the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) addressed the report of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC), focusing on: contractors’ training programmes and annual reports, including questions on contractors’ non-compliance; the draft exploitation regulations, including questions on stakeholder inputs and a roadmap for the delivery of the regulations; the review of recommendations for the guidance of contractors’ environmental impacts assessments (EIAs), and the review of the implementation of the environmental management plan (EMP) for the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and the development of EMPs in other zones, including questions on Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); implementation of the data management strategy; and matters referred to the Commission by the Council. In the afternoon, the Council considered draft decisions on financial and budgetary matters, and on future elections of LTC members. |
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Visit the web coverage for Friday, 11 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Thursday, 10 August 2017
On Thursday, 10 August, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) met throughout the day to address: Poland’s application for approval of a work plan for polymetallic sulphides exploration; India’s application for extending the contract for polymetallic nodules exploration; proposed amendments to the ISA staff regulations; the report of the Finance Committee; and a mechanism for future elections of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) members. |
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Visit the web coverage for Thursday, 10 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Following a morning meeting of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC), the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) convened on Wednesday afternoon to address: the status of exploration contracts and related matters; the status of laws, regulations and administrative measures adopted by sponsoring states and other ISA members with respect to activities in the Area; the implementation of the decision of the Council in 2016 relating to the summary report of the LTC Chair, including on the development of draft regulations on exploitation, data management, and environmental management plans; and a mechanism for the future elections of LTC members. |
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Visit the web coverage for Wednesday, 9 August 2017 |
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Highlights for Tuesday, 8 August 2017
On Tuesday morning, the Assembly and Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) held their opening plenaries back to back, addressing their respective administrative matters. The Assembly also considered requests for observer status. The Legal and Technical Commission resumed its work in the afternoon. |
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Visit the web coverage for Tuesday, 8 August 2017 |
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has been provided by the International Seabed Authority
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IISD Reporting Services is grateful to the many donors of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) and recognizes the following as core contributors to the ENB: the European Union and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. General Support for the Bulletin during 2017 is provided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, Japanese Ministry of Environment (through the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies - IGES), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Switzerland (Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)), and SWAN International. |
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